The present invention relates generally to autonomous vehicles and more particularly to delegation of control of an autonomous vehicle.
An increasing trend towards developing automated or semi-automated equipment is present in today's world. Specifically, autonomous, driverless vehicles are a rapidly changing and growing area of technology. Autonomous vehicles are configured to operate in an autonomous mode in which the vehicle navigates through an environment with little or no input from a driver. Some autonomous vehicles may require only an initial input, while some require continuous input from an operator, such as a pilot, driver, or passenger. An autonomous vehicle typically includes one or more sensors that are configured to sense information about the environment. For example, autonomous vehicles may include lasers, sonar, radar, cameras, and other devices that scan and record data, including static and dynamic objects, within the vehicle's surroundings. These devices, in combination (and in some cases alone), may be used to build three-dimensional models of a vehicle's precise location and the objects detected in the vehicle's surroundings. The vehicle may use the three-dimensional information to navigate through the environment. For example, if the sensors detect that the vehicle is approaching an obstacle, the vehicle can navigate around the obstacle, independent of human control.